Abstract
Whitepaper #377 submitted to the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032. Topics: primitive bodies; solar system formation, dynamics processes, and chronology; technology development
Highlights
Sample return of pristine cometary material was identified as a high priority in the most recent Planetary Decadal Survey, and a comet sample return mission — from a single comet —
Orientation control of the spacecraft is provided by MEMS inchworm motors pulling on shroud lines on the sail, as described below
Communication between spacecraft and with the hive will be possible to a distance of a few hundred meters using the integrated WiFi radio available in almost all embedded LINUX platforms
Summary
Existing cell phone technology and recent advances in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) enable unprecedented capabilities in space. Fleets of thousands of tiny interplanetary spacecraft, navigating using solar sails, will soon enable rapid exploration of the inner Solar System. Return of pristine cometary material is a high NASA priority, as reflected in the Phase A selections from the most recent New Frontiers competition. We describe a mission architecture using miniature interplanetary spacecraft that could rapidly return pristine cometary material from dozens of Jupiter Family Comets (JFCs) at a fraction of the cost of a sample return mission from a single JFC using a more traditional approach. Each spacecraft would weigh approximately ten grams, and would navigate using a solar sail. All of the components of such miniaturized spacecraft have been demonstrated in the laboratory or in commercial applications, but will require investment to qualify for space applications
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